Kenya thrashed the Netherlands by seven wickets in the first game, with Shem Ngoche leading the rout of the Dutch batsmen by taking four for 34 with his left-arm spin. Rakep Patel then overcame a ponderous start to the Kenyan run chase and hit five sixes during an unbeaten 46 that took them home in the 13th over.

Michael Swart had got the Netherlands innings off to a brisk start after they had been asked to bat and laid into both Nehemiah Odhiambo’s and Elijah Otieno’s opening overs. He recovered from the loss of his opening partner, the in-form Wesley Barresi, first ball and blazed 27 off just 13 deliveries. He succumbed to Ngoche and would be one of five Dutch batsmen to waste promising starts. Tom Cooper (10), Daan van Bunge (19), Tom de Grooth (19) and Michael Rippon (17) were the others. Besides Shem Ngoche, the wickets were shared around, with Odhiambo adding that of Cooper to the dismissal of Barresi, and Ragheb Aga, Hiren Varaiya and James Ngoche each chipping in with one.

Kenya then lost Tanmay Mishra in Mudassar Bukhari’s second over, but Alex Obanda did the early run-scoring and calmed any nerves with a 19-ball 28. He was bowled by Bukhari, Maurice Ouma run out by Ahsan Malik in the seventh over to make it 49 for three.

At that point, Kenya could have panicked, but captain Collins Obuya was joined by Patel and the two added 65 in 35 balls for the fourth-wicket. Obuya scored just 19 of them but provided admirable support for the flamboyant Patel, who ended four short of his maiden Twenty20 International fifty.

A team comprised of the brightest young talent from South Africa’s franchise set-up recorded a relatively comfortable victory against the hosts Namibia in the second match. Namibia recovered from a disastrous start, losing both openers for ducks, to post 160 for six courtesy of 63 off 45 balls from hard-hitting all-rounder Louis van der Westhuizen.

Cameron Delport then anchored the Emerging Players’ run chase with a fluent 69 off 40 balls, with Yaseen Vallie and skipper Jean Symes completing the job with an unbroken stand of 53 in 33 balls.

Christiaan Jonker, who averaged an impressive 38.88 for Warriors in this season’s South African domestic T20 tournament, and Delport, who hit a century in the same competition for Dolphins, added 47 in less than six overs for the first wicket prior to Jonker’s departure to the ever-reliable Louis Klazinga (one for 33). Wicket-keeper Mangaliso Mosehle didn’t last long and was caught off the bowling of Namibia captain Sarel Burger (one for 26) for four.

However, Delport found support from Vallie and the pair added 50 to put the Emerging Players back on track. Delport eventually gave Tobias Verwey a wicket, but Vallie (36 off 33 balls) remained until the end and was partnered by Symes (27 not out off 17) when the winning runs were hit.

Earlier, Andrew Birch (one for 27) and Beuran Hendricks (three for 36) had each struck in the first over after Namibia had been inserted by Symes. Stephan Baard and Raymond van Schoor were both sent packing for ducks. Van der Westhuizen and Burger then added 65 in 45 balls for the third-wicket to help rebuild the innings before van der Westhuizen teed off. He ended with three sixes and seven fours before being stumped of Dane Piedt (two for 36), while Verwey ended not out on 24 off 25 balls.